Tag: William H. Macy

The worlds of entertainment, business, sports and academia were rocked by the recent revelation that wealthy parents such as Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin allegedly paid college admissions consultant Rick Singer large sums to get their children in…

Stephen Colbert kicked off Tuesday’s episode of “The Late Show” with a discussion of the college admission bribery scandal — and in the process briefly revived one of the most memorable jokes from his “The Colbert Report” days.

“You know how conspiracy theorists say everything is rigged for the wealthy and famous?” Colbert began. “Well, as a wealthy, famous person, let me just respond by saying you’re absolutely right.”

Colbert broke down the scandal — in which 46 individuals, including Felicity Huffman and “Full House” actress Lori Loughlin, were charged with paying bribes of up to $6 million to get their children into top universities.

“The FBI was tipped off by the essay question on this year’s common application: ‘Reflect on an accomplishment that sparked your personal growth and/or list your parents’ credit card number,” Colbert cracked.

Colbert then talked about other aspects of the case, including the involvement of “actress Felicity Huffman, who is married to William H. Macy, celebrity nickname ‘Filliam H. Muffman.’”

That gag about Huffman and Macy originated on “The Colbert Report” all the way back in 2006, during a bit about what people can learn from celebrities about making relationships last. And to be honest, it’s almost as funny now as it was 13 years ago.

David Mamet is defending longtime friend Felicity Huffman and her husband, Shameless actor William H. Macy, following the actress’ indictment Tuesday in a wide-reaching college admissions bribery scandal.
In an open letter, the Oscar-nominated wr…

Felicity Huffman appeared in a Los Angeles federal courtroom in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday afternoon to face a charge of paying a bribe to boost her daughter’s SAT score. The judge set her bond for $250,000. Huffman is one of 46 people charg…

William H. Macy’s comments about his daughter’s college application from several months ago resurfaced on Tuesday following news of his wife Felicity Huffman’s arrest as part of an alleged admissions fraud scheme.
“We’re r…

Former “Desperate Housewives” star Felicity Huffman and “Full House” actress Lori Loughlin are among 46 people who have been arrested in a nationwide college admissions cheating scam case, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday.

The suspects — who also include business figures such as Dragon Global CEO Robert Zangrillo — have been arrested on the charges they paid bribes of up to $6 million to get their children into top universities like Yale, Stanford, Georgetown and USC, according to charging documents.

During a press conference in Boston on Tuesday, Andrew Lelling, U.S. District Attorney for Massachusetts, said this was the “largest college admissions scam ever prosecuted by the Department of Justice,” totaling $25 million in bribes.

The official charges for both actresses were “conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud.” If convicted, they could each face up to five years in prison. According to Elizabeth McCarthy, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Huffman was taken into custody early Tuesday and Loughlin has agreed to surrender.

According to a separate affidavit, Huffman and her spouse — “Shameless” star William H. Macy, who was not identified by his name or charged in the affidavit — made a charitable donation of $15,000 “to participate in the college entrance exam cheating scheme on behalf of her oldest daughter.” The document added that Huffman “later made arrangements to pursue the scheme a second time, for her youngest daughter, before deciding not to do so.”

The documents also say that Loughlin and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, “agreed to pay bribes totaling $500,000 in exchange for having their two daughters designated as recruits to the USC crew team — despite the fact that they did not participate in crew — thereby facilitating their admission to USC.”

Representatives for both Huffman and Loughlin did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.

The scam centered around a California man, William Singer, who ran a business to help students gain admission into the college of their choice. This would involve being paid a pre-set amount by parents, who then funneled the money to either an SAT or ACT administrator or a college athletic coach. The scheme would work in one of two ways, according to prosecutors: The coaches would arrange a fake profile that listed the prospective student as an athlete or exam administrators would either hire proctors to take the test or correct the answers of a student after the fact.

The FBI has taken 33 individuals into custody, with another seven that are “working towards their surrender,” FBI special agent Joseph Bonavolonta said during a press conference. He added that there is one individual being “actively pursued” and that four, including Singer, will plead guilty. Lelling the person being “actively pursued” is in Hawaii, and there are rules regarding how early someone can be taken into custody.

First unveiled on the festival circuit in 2012, “CinemAbility” has been around long enough that at least eight of the participants have since died. The interviews may be a bit old, but that doesn’t make the film itself outdated. If anything, the cultur…

The streaming revolution took another step forward on Monday night at the Primetime Emmys, with Amazon — powered by the success of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” — and Netflix highlighting Hollywood’s increasing dependence on new media.

In total, the big three streaming services — Amazon, Hulu, and Netflix — took home nearly half of the night’s awards, grabbing 12 of the 26 trophies handed out. That tripled last year’s total of four wins for the three companies. (It’s worth mentioning there were nine more trophies handed out at this year’s broadcast.)

“Mrs. Maisel” was the star of the show — much like “The Handmaid’s Tale” was last year for Hulu — netting five Emmys for Amazon, including for Outstanding Comedy Series. Rachel Brosnahan, playing aspiring late-1950s stand-up comic Midge Maisel, won for lead actress in a comedy, while Alex Bornstein won for her supporting role as Maisel’s brash manager. “The Looming Tower,” Amazon’s take on Lawrence Wright’s book on 9/11, was nominated three times, but didn’t earn a victory.

Not to be outdone, Netflix pulled in seven Emmys for the night. The Western drama “Godless” netted both Jeff Daniels and Merritt Wever trophies for their supporting roles, while “The Crown” contributed two awards as well.

Netflix’s big bet on stand-up comedy paid off, too, with John Mulaney’s “Kid Gorgeous at Radio City” winning for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special.

The night wasn’t as sweet for Hulu, though. One year after being the belle of the ball, Hulu was shut out and its trademark show “The Handmaid’s Tale” lost its bid for back-to-back Outstanding Drama Series victories to HBO’s “Game of Thrones.”

The writing was on the wall heading into this weekend’s awards. Altogether, the big three streaming service earned 161 total nominations — a 31 percent jump from last year. Netflix led the way, with its 112 nominations toppling HBO’s 17-year run as the most nominated network. (HBO, for its part, still pulled in 108 noms and has transitioned about as well as any legacy media company to the streaming world.)

While the streaming services are often coy when it comes to viewership, it’s not hard to see their trajectory in comparison to traditional TV. Netflix passed 130 million subscribers last quarter, Amazon chief Jeff Bezos revealed earlier this year it has 100 million Prime customers, and Hulu boasts about 20 million paying customers.

Their shows are now the mainstream. And with more tech money entering the content battle, expecting YouTube or Apple to crash the party in the years ahead isn’t a stretch.

Earlier this week Shameless fans were dealt some surprising news when Showtime and executive producer and showrunner John Wells dropped the bomb that Emmy Rossum was leaving the show after nine seasons. Her TV father, William H. Macy has come forward t…

“We’ve been expecting it,” Macy said of Rossum — who plays his daughter, Fiona Gallagher, on the Showtime series — in an interview with Entertainment Weekly Friday. “I tell you, when you get to season 9 and you think of [whether] to keep going, it’s daunting. It’s hard not to think of: ‘What would my life be post-‘Shameless’?’ And part of it is very frightening and part of it is very exciting. She’s young and I think she’s made the right choice. She’s got another show that she’s an executive producer on, so she’s going right into something and she wants to branch out. Plus, she just got married. I wish her well. I can’t wait to see what she’s going to do next.”

Rossum revealed she was walking away from “Shameless” after nine seasons on the Showtime series in an open letter Thursday.

“I know you will continue on without me, for now,” Rossum wrote. “There is much more Gallagher story to be told. I will always be rooting for my family. Try not to think of me as gone, just think of me as moving down the block.”

Per her post, Rossum believes the show can carry on without her — and Macy agrees.

“Totally. It’s a well conceived show from the outset. It’s a perfect number of characters, especially with Kev and V,” Macy told EW. “And the other genius thing about it is that there are kids and they’ve been growing up and as they grow up it opens up a brand new world of plot possibilities. My character is a little bit more problematical, because I’m playing a character that by definition doesn’t change. But they’ve done a magnificent job of figuring out where to go with this thing — and it’s exciting.”

Emmy Rossum is walking away from “Shameless” after nine seasons on the Showtime series.

“I know you will continue on without me, for now,” the star wrote in a long open letter, which was posted to her official Facebook page Thursday. “There is much more Gallagher story to be told. I will always be rooting for my family. Try not to think of me as gone, just think of me as moving down the block.”

“Emmy Rossum will forever be part of the Shameless family,” “Shameless” executive producer and showrunner John Wells said in a statement later Thursday.

“She has been integral to the show’s success, from her wonderful portrayal of Fiona to her leadership role on set, as well as directing multiple episodes of the series,” Wells continued. “We are hard at work now creating a season nine finale for ‘Shameless’ which we hope will provide a Gallagher-worthy sendoff for Fiona that honors the great work Emmy has done. It is always bittersweet when an ensemble member decides to move out of the proverbial house, but our door will always remain open for Fiona to return home for a visit, or to move back in. I look forward to continuing the stories of this wildly unpredictable family and all of us on Shameless will miss Emmy and her wonderful Fiona.”

Showtime Networks President of Programming Gary Levine added Thursday: “We were saddened when Emmy Rossum let us know that the upcoming ninth season of ‘Shameless’ would be her last. But we are filled with an overwhelming sense of joy and gratitude for Emmy’s inspired work on our series, of course in front of the camera but also behind it. Fiona Gallagher will always be one of Showtime’s iconic characters, and we applaud Emmy for bringing this character to life in such a natural, touching and fearless performance. On behalf of everyone at Showtime and her millions of fans, we thank you Emmy!”

“It’s a hard thing to put into words, feelings. But I’m going to try,” Rossum began her post Thursday.

“This business is always an adventure, full of travel and opportunities to tell stories,” the actress continued. “Usually as an actor, every few months, you travel to a new place, start a new project, build a new character, learn new rhythms, new inside jokes with your crew, make new friends.”

“Until ‘Shameless’ came into my life 8 years ago, I led that kind of transient wonderful life of an actor,” Rossum added. “And I never realized how much I actually craved the kind of continuity that this show has given me. And given all of us in the crew. Season after season I’m amazed that our same crew comes back. And it’s not just because it’s a wonderfully written, wonderfully layered show. There are these real connections, real friendships that bring us back season after season after season.”

“For eight years and more than 100 episodes, Emmy Rossum has delivered a deeply honest, authentic and unflinching portrayal of Fiona Gallagher, one of television’s great characters,” studio Warner Bros. Television said in their own statement Thursday. “We wish her all the best as she explores the next chapter in her career. But before that, we are excited for fans of Shameless to see Emmy and the entire ensemble cast continue the adventures of the Gallagher family in the show’s upcoming ninth season.”

Deadline Awards Columnist and Chief Film Critic Pete Hammond gives his take on the top acting contenders for the 2018 Primetime Emmy Awards. Here, he breaks down the categories of Outstanding Lead and Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
Outstanding Le…

Stephen King has been seeing a resurgence as of late. Many of the iconic horror author’s works are getting new TV adaptations. 2016 saw “11.22.63” on Hulu and 2017 saw “The Mist” on Spike and we’re still due for &#82…

It may sound like a natural arc; after a long, successful career, and with a mantel filled with awards and honors, it’s finally time to contemplate retirement. But for many veteran actors the idea of quietly shuffling off stage as they hit their 60s ho…

Politics are the name of the game in Season 9 of Showtime’s “Shameless.”

In a new trailer released Thursday, Frank decides that it’s a good idea to represent the South Side working man by campaigning … though his real motivations are purely financial. Fiona takes an expensive gamble to try and build on the success of her apartment building while Ian must face the consequences of the Gay Jesus movement’s destructive turn.

Debbie realizes that she’s getting paid less than her male co-workers and stages a protest … one that includes an adult diaper.

Season 9 will also feature the show’s 100th episode, which will air in week four.

William H. Macy stars alongside Emmy Rossum, Jeremy Allen White, Ethan Cutkosky, Shanola Hampton, Steve Howey, Emma Kenney, Cameron Monaghan, Richard Flood and Christian Isaiah. “Shameless” was created by Paul Abbott, and is produced by Bonanza Productions in association with John Wells Productions and Warner Bros. Television. John Wells developed the series for American television and executive produces with Nancy M. Pimental.

The Gallaghers are back, and Frank is still very much not father of the year, Fiona faces the hard truth that “Going Fiona” is very much a thing and Ian learns the hard way that being a Gay Jesus doesn’t protect you from the consequen…

Worst dads on tv and film
Homer Simpson, “The Simpsons”
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EXCLUSIVE: William H. Macy has signed with ICM Partners. The news comes as he and his Shameless gang are in production on Season 9 of the Showtime series, which has already staked out a September 9 premiere date. Macy has been Emmy nominated the past f…

The comic drama “Krystal,” marking William H. Macy’s third time out as a feature director, is so baffling that it must be appreciated at least for its ability to defy all logic. Written by Will Aldis — as though he had gobbled up “Fried Green Tomatoes,” “The Good Girl,” and “Rushmore,” then gargled with bleach and regurgitated the mess on the page — the film tells the story of an 18-year-old boy with a heart that beats too fast (literally), who falls in love with a former junkie prostitute who’s trying to clean up her life.

Taylor Ogburn (Nick Robinson, “Love, Simon”) is a fanciful guy who’s been known to cross signals and get lost in his daydreams, as evidenced in a flashback where he reads one of his dad’s porno mags and imagines the devil walking out of its pages, attempting to chase Taylor down. The animation of the devil here must be singled out for its vision. It had me hoping “Krystal” might become a surrealist tale. But it didn’t.

Yes, the appearance of the devil and Taylor’s horrified reaction to him signals the guilt is strong in this one. And despite his father Wyatt (Macy) informing Taylor when he was a child that God, the devil, and Santa Claus do not exist, Taylor insists on believing in fictions and fairy tales as a young adult, which further fuels his anxiety, as he’s incessantly striving to do what’s “right.”

When Taylor sees Krystal (Rosario Dawson) walk in from the ocean — in just a wet white t-shirt (no bra) and panties — he’s so struck by her beauty that he nearly dies. Literally. That Taylor develops an unshakeable crush on Krystal for saving his life and taking him to the hospital seems natural. She’s beautiful, a blank slate, a savior in his naïve eyes. But everything that follows this improbable meeting grows so absurd that I had to pause the screener I was watching, go back, and make sure I’d seen what I thought I’d seen, which is, in some ways, admirable that this narrative could keep me guessing so much.

Taylor goes to extreme lengths to woo Krystal immediately, and with every attempt, hijinks ensue: He pretends he’s an alcoholic to infiltrate an AA meeting, and his boss (Kathy Bates) asks to be his sponsor. He sees a biker guy, Bo (Rick Fox), in a leather jacket at the AA meeting deliver a speech about being down and out and rising above it all, and Taylor becomes him, even buying a motorcycle and using Bo’s speech word-for-word to impress Krystal, like he’s Wally Brando or something. (Shout-out to “Twin Peaks: The Return” fans.)

Macy’s strengths with this film lay in the scenes that play out like a stage production of a classic farce, generally when Taylor, his mom (Felicity Huffman) and dad, and his brother Campbell (Grant Gustin, “The Flash”) trade banter in their quaint, suburban home. Characters speak over one another, jostling for their own screen time, while Macy blocks the scene with each family member moving round the room, creating some much-needed dynamic action.

And the only time we get a hint that director Macy understands that Taylor’s newfound identities are truly dumbfounding is when this family razzes him endlessly about his puppy love. It had me wishing the whole film were just a single-location encounter of the family meeting Krystal and her 16-year-old son Bobby (Jacob Latimore) for dinner.

We do get that scene later on, and it’s appropriately bonkers, with some big reveals and a chance for Huffman to yelp curse words and quickly apologize for the language, but Macy leaves that drama too quickly, focusing for some reason on auxiliary characters, like William Fichtner’s Dr. Farley, a pot-smoking incompetent physician who always seems to be available to treat Taylor — for both his heart condition and a stab wound inflicted by Krystal’s ex Willie (T.I.).

And while Krystal is the title character, she’s also the least understood of them all, which could potentially have made the film funnier if Macy called more attention to the fact that all of these people are projecting their own thoughts, feelings, and fantasies upon one of the few non-white women in this Southern town. But instead, Macy has Krystal giving in to Taylor’s unfounded affections, with a moment so bizarre that my jaw dropped in a mix of surprise and nausea. “If you don’t kiss me right now,” begins Krystal’s sudden sexual declaration to Taylor as she’s peeking out the window, keeping watch for her violent, controlling ex.

Not to oversell this film or endorse it, but I can imagine John Waters watching “Krystal,” vacillating between boredom and banal amusement, remarking, “Oh well, that’s something.” Because Krystal is definitely… something.

Easily one of his generation’s most gifted character actors, with a hangdog face unforgettable from such films as “Fargo” and “Boogie Nights,” William H. Macy made his feature directing debut some 30 years ago with a savvy TV-news parody called “Lip Service” for HBO. For some reason, it wasn’t until starring in (and eventually directing […]